So This is Goodbye
by perpetual twilight
Summary: When Yami finds himself in a whole new place with no recollection of his past, he and Yuugi must find clues to figure out who he was. Told from Yami's POV. Sounds similar to the actual story? Kinda, but not really. R&R please! YxYY Rating may change soon.
1. Prologue: The Finale

**The tale begins! About names...I'll refer to Yami Yuugi as "Pharaoh" or "Atemu" in the later chapters. When he doesn't know his name yet, though, he'll be called Yami. Joey, T****é**a, Tristan, Solomon Motou, etc, keep their American dubbed names. 

**Yu-Gi-Oh! doesn't belong to me. xD**

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****The Finale**

I stood before the doorway to another world, another life, with a feeling of déjà vu. Golden light poured from it, bathing me in its honey-sweet caress, healing me, changing me. My clothes, once the bulky navy blue school uniform, flowed together into a comfortable white and blue tunic with a generous dark blue cape. Metal jewelry adorned my arms and legs, marking me for what I was.

"Pharaoh…Pharaoh…" he called softly.

The light could not mend my broken heart, nor could the new clothes conceal my true feelings.

All this time, I'd been protecting my aibou, my Yuugi, even though I knew all along that it would only hurt him more when we had to say goodbye. But my fate dictated that I must be a ruler, a guardian over millions of people I didn't know. I didn't want to live up to my destiny; I would rather guard over this one innocent boy forever.

"Please…stay…"

I breathed in deeply, forcing back tears. They say your life flashes before your eyes when you are about to die. I wasn't dying, but I might as well have been. The happiest part, the sweetest part of my life was over. There would never be anyone else like him. Never.

I knew all along that this day had to come, but I still hadn't readied myself to let go yet.

I closed my eyes, and concentrated on each emotion boiling within me. In those few seconds I lingered between the doorway of past and present, a thousand memories came rushing back like water pouring through a broken dam.

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**Review please! It will make me happy.**


	2. Chapter One: A New Beginning

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**Chapter One: A New Beginning**

I awoke groggily as if I'd been asleep for a thousand years. My head spun crazily as I tried to open my eyes. I realized that I was lying on my stomach on what felt like cold, hard rock. Groaning, I turned myself onto my back and attempted to force my stubborn eyes open. I realized, however, that they already were. The problem was that the room was pitch-black, making it impossible for me to see anything. Closing my eyes again, I tried to imagine where I could possibly be. A strange fuzziness seemed to be preventing me from thinking clearly, though, so I gave up.

If only there was light around here, maybe then I'd know where I was. As soon as I had wished this, however, a faint glow appeared through my eyelids. Wrenching my eyes open, I stared in shock as a warm orange luminosity filled the room; the source no where to be seen. I staggered up onto my feet and took in my surroundings.

I was in a strange, musty chamber with countless stairs leading to numerous doors. The walls were made of solid, sturdy-looking blocks of stone. As I tilted my head back, I could see that I was on the lowest level of what appeared to be the inside of an ancient and abandoned …_place_. I didn't know what to call it. It certainly didn't look like anyone could live here. Mildew covered the walls and I grimaced in distaste.

I looked down at myself and noted that I was wearing a modest white linen tunic that came down to my knees. A heavy cape hung on my shoulders and fell down my back to my waist. Metal armlets, bracelets, and anklets adorned me and I wondered what the fuss was all about. Certainly I didn't need to be dressed so ceremoniously. My feet rested in soft leather sandals that were nearly noiseless against the cold floor. Lastly, I noticed the heavy object hanging from my neck. It was rather unwieldy and pressed down on my chest slightly uncomfortably. Somehow, I knew the name of it immediately. It was my Millennium Puzzle. How I knew this, though, was not clear.

I turned in circles, taking in more details of the room I was in. It was perfectly bare of any sort of furniture and was built in a simple, rectangular shape. An air of sadness hung like a smothering blanket along with an unshakable weariness. Despite the unfriendly settings, though, I felt oddly at ease here. I turned to my left and walked over to the nearest staircase. It was narrower than I'd thought. Slowly, I climbed, being careful not to accidentally trip and fall off—there was nothing to stop me from slipping off and tumbling down onto the hard floor. Upon reaching the top, I keenly opened the door waiting for me. I was very disappointed, though, when I found the room to be completely empty, just like the one I'd woken up in.

I wandered around some more, going up many, many dangerous stairs and opening every door I came across. As I went higher and higher, the rooms got bigger and bigger, but to my utter dissatisfaction, most of them were vacant. I didn't come across anything else living, nor did I expect to. The corridors I walked down were more interesting than the rooms: antique statues of half-animal, half-man creatures lined up against the walls. All of them looked as if they were ready to serve their master, whoever he may be. I didn't recognize what any of them were, but I knew they couldn't hurt me.

Finally I came across a room that held my attention. Large blocks of stone stood in it, haphazardly arranged as if there'd been some sort of battle between them. Carved onto the pillars were the images of terrible monsters, eyes glaring and seemingly roaring at their opponents. I walked amongst them, feeling as if I were in control, but at the same time not sure at all. I wondered who had taken the time to place all of these terrible statues so intricately in an abandoned place like this. Some of the monsters looked extremely captivating. I stood for quite a while in front of a humanoid figure, examining it. The man carved onto the rock stood fully four heads taller than me, and I had to crane my neck to see what he was wearing. A strange pointed hat rested on his head, covering a lot of it. Long robes flowed down his body and his hands gripped a long staff. I felt oddly connected to him. He seemed to be facing a giant monster with wings—a mythical dragon perhaps—that loomed above everything else. I could barely even make out the top of its head. I stared for a few more moments at the two locked in eternal battle before turning and looking at the others. Some of the monsters were extremely small, while others towered over them. Although each monster looked completely different, they all had one point in common: the aura of power and hate they gave off. I was puzzled by their malevolent nature. Shaking my head, I left the room and turned right down a hallway.

I had no idea where I was going or where I was, but I didn't call myself lost. The twists and turns of the place, designed to throw even the hardiest adventurer off course, wholly failed to confuse me. I knew my way around without even realizing it.

I seemed to be alone—unavoidably, unfalteringly alone. I was beginning to worry that I'd been trapped here as a sort of punishment, but I soon pushed away unpleasant thoughts. I wanted to know what my purpose was though. The strange inability to think clearly was starting to bother me. I knew there was something I was forgetting, something very important.

I meandered along the old passageways without thinking. A hidden instinct was somehow guiding me along—to where, though, I did not know. A few more turns and many stairs later, I found myself stepping into a very narrow passage. Unlike the other room's I'd been in, this one was not well-lit. I paused, and then felt my way carefully forward, putting one hand gently on the wall next to me to keep my balance. I didn't feel scared at all; instead, the sadness of the atmosphere seemed to be dissipating. After several long minutes, I finally found myself at the end of the course: a dead end.

Frustrated, I turned back around and proceeded to go out again.

I'd only gone halfway, though, before an odd clicking sound reverberated above my head. Something about it told me to look around again, back towards where the dead end was. To my astonishment, there was a faintly glowing door there. Excited, I stumbled my way over, eager to discover what was on the other side.

My hand was slightly shaking as I reached out to grip the doorknob. It felt warm and gentle under my palm, a notable difference from the smooth, cool stone walls. Joy and a feeling of accomplishment flowed through the door and into me. Cautious now, I slowly turned the doorknob and eased the door open. It opened effortlessly toward me, without a sound. Light from behind it hit my dark-accustomed eyes, forcing me to shut them. Eventually, after I felt that I had gotten used to the light streaming through my eyelids, I slowly opened my eyes just a little, shielding my face with one hand.

I couldn't see anything beyond the doorway—it was far too bright for that. But a kindness and innocence flowed from it so I was brave. I gently eased my foot beyond the threshold. The sandal suddenly changed into a strange, unwieldy white shoe. I recoiled in shock and immediately brought my foot back. The foreign shoe changed back into a sandal. I was a little worried now, but curiosity took control and urged me to try and pass through the doorway again. It was more than curiosity that did it, though; I felt a strange, insatiable longing to go through the door.

This powerful desire burned and pushed me to put my arm through. As soon as it passed into the light beyond, I saw not my bare arm with metal jewelry but an arm that was covered with a heavy blue cloth—a sleeve.

I accepted that I would change if I entered this doorway…or was it exited? Part of me knew that whatever was on the other side wasn't meant to be a part of this murky and stale place. No harm had seemed to come to me, though, so I drew in a breath, and stepped across.

Dazzling, brilliant light surrounded me, making it hard to tell where I was. I seemed to be suspended in midair though, since I couldn't feel a floor under me. So there I hung, wearing strange new clothes that weren't exactly comfortable. The light felt hot and I thought for sure I would burn in it. But in the heat there was a definite feeling of…love? A bond of something intangible and sweet that enveloped me in its caring touch that made me lose any hint of trepidation.

And in that fantastic light of another world, I suddenly realized what I had been forgetting this whole time: my identity.

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**Rather a short chapter, but they'll get longer as we go…I hope. Ohohoho. Where will dear I'm-forgetting-my-identity end up? Yeah, it's…obvious. **

**Review please! **


	3. Chapter Two: Encounter

**Whoo! I'm updating rather quickly, aren't I? It's because this is the summer and since I don't feel like doing my summer hw for school, I will write fanfics instead! Hooray for procrastination!  
You may notice that Yami doesn't exactly fall half in love with Yuugi at first sight. That's because I don't believe in such things (yes, this is my cynical side coming out). But don't you worry about him being coldhearted and mean.. 'cause he's not. Just read and enjoy. And know that nothing in here belongs to me. xD**

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**Chapter Two: Encounter**

The light disappeared abruptly and I found myself staring right at a mirror. Ignoring it for now, I took in my surroundings. I was in a small, but comfortable room, probably belonging to a teenage boy around my age. A bed covered with clothes was shoved up against a wall on my left side, leaving a bit of empty space in the center. A desk was by my right. A small window let in a surprising amount of light compared to its size, making the room much brighter. The door was behind me. My body felt trapped in multiple layers of uncomfortable clothing and many leather belts.

I bent down to adjust my shoes since they were currently squeezing my feet too much. And then I froze.

Forcing myself to take deep breaths, I looked up.

What I had taken to be a mirror by a rough glance was not. It was, in fact, most likely the owner of this room. The reason I'd been so careless to assume it was an inanimate object was because he looked extremely like me. Both of us had tri-colored hair, grouped into large spikes with blond bangs in front. The only difference was that the tops of his black hair faded to violet, whereas I knew mine was crimson. His eye color matched his hair, as did mine. Currently, his eyes looked as if they were popping out of his head, so I couldn't tell the shape quite so accurately. I realized I was looking down at him, so I knew he was noticeably shorter than me.

I was past the initial phase of shock by now and I wanted to know where I was and how I got here. Just as I was opening my mouth to talk though, I again noticed his shocked features and felt slightly annoyed. When was he going to start acting like a normal person again?

I decided to take the initiative and speak to him. "Hello?"

He jumped, clearly not used to my presence yet. I raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I'm sorry, but could you please tell me where I am?" I asked in a polite tone.

"You…You're…You're in my grandpa's game shop," he blurted out, still staring at me like I was a fascinating object. His voice sounded pure, like that of an angel, but right now it was ruined by his incessant gawking. Scowling, I paced around a bit, noting out of the corner of my eye that he was watching my every move as if he expected me to explode.

"Game shop?" I repeated, pausing in mid-step. "Do you know of a place with many staircases and empty rooms? It looks sort of old and shabby."

I wanted to know where I'd come from. Perhaps this strange boy knew.

He shook his head violently. "No… I don't know. Who are you?"

I was stumped by his question. It hadn't occurred to him that I, myself, did not even know.

"I…don't know," I confessed. "I was hoping that you could tell me."

"You don't know?" he sounded curious. I picked up on a trace of fear in his voice.

"No, I don't. I was in an abandoned place before, and then I opened a door and now I'm—" I stopped immediately. I'd just noticed what he was clutching in his slightly trembling hands. "My…Millennium Puzzle? How did you get that?" I demanded, perhaps too harshly as I saw him grimace.

"My grandpa gave it to me! He said it was an ancient Egyptian artifact. He thought I would like to try and solve it…and I did!" He exclaimed the last part proudly, holding up the completed puzzle for me to see.

I stared, speechless, at what he was holding. My own Puzzle was still hanging around my neck, but there he was, holding one exactly like it. His must be a fake then, I decided. There was no way that two of the same Millennium items could exist.

"I…" I was about to tell him that mine was the real one, but I saw the look of joy on his face and I suddenly didn't have the heart to hurt his feelings. "I have one too." I held it up.

His eyes grew even wider as he stared back and forth between his Puzzle and mine. "There're _two _Puzzles?" he asked in a near-whisper, as if we were exchanging some sort of shocking secret.

"There…shouldn't be. You said your grandfather told you the Puzzle was from Egypt?" I decided to change the topic slightly. I needed to know more about my past.

"Yeah, that's what he said," he mumbled, his attention obviously still occupied by the double Puzzles.

Egypt. I must be from Egypt. How I ended up here was a complete mystery to me. Perhaps he knows, I thought as I glanced at the kid.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"My name's Yuugi, Yuugi Motou," he said, smiling. He looked a little more comfortable around me now. "I'm almost sixteen years old. Are you sure you don't know who you are?"

"Yes, I'm sure," I said, frowning.

"What should I call you then?" he asked. He seemed to forget that just a few moments ago he was scared to death of my company.

"You may call me…" I paused, thinking of a suitable name for myself. My eyes wandered to meet his. He blushed at the sudden eye contact and looked down at the ground. "You may call me Yami."

"Yami…All right."

It seemed like a suitable name. While his eyes betrayed nothing but curiosity and naiveté, I felt for sure that in my eyes there appeared only gloominess and suspicion. I was lost here and I had no idea who I was.

"Your grandfather, is he here?" Perhaps the old man knew more than his grandson.

"Y-Yes, he's downstairs. Do you want to meet him?" Wandering purple eyes scanned my face for any sign of negative emotion.

"I do," I confirmed, gesturing for Yuugi to lead the way. He stepped past me carefully to open the door, fingers fumbling a bit with the door knob. I waited patiently, watching his every move. After a few seconds the door opened, and I realized that it had been locked before. Why, though, I couldn't fathom.

I followed his retreating figure down the stairs and noticed that he tried to sneak a peek at me every so often. I grudgingly played along and pretended I didn't notice.

"Grandpa!" he called as soon as we were at the foot of the stairs. "Grandpa, come quick!"

"What is it Yuugi?" an old man said as he entered the room. He was only about Yuugi's height, which meant that I had to look down at both of them. His gray hair was covered by a piece of cloth, but I could tell from the bangs that protruded in front that it was in a very similar style as Yuugi's…and mine. His eyes were also purple, but they looked older and more tired, set in a round face with a short gray beard and moustache. He was much stouter than Yuugi and wore a pair of overalls and a long-sleeved shirt underneath.

"Oh my…"

My eyes snapped back to his face as he spoke. He, like his grandson, was staring at me with an expression of shock and fear.

"Yuugi, did you…?"

"Grandpa, I don't know how I did it! I put the last piece of the Puzzle in and then a blinding light surrounded everything. The next thing I knew, he was here!"

My eyes widened in shock. Why hadn't Yuugi told me that I came right after the completion of his Millennium Puzzle? I was extremely annoyed.

"You didn't tell me that before," I accused, trying to control my anger. The Millennium Puzzle seemed to get slightly warmer, but I hardly noticed.

"I'm sorry," he said in a soft voice, wincing. "I didn't have a chance to."

I realized that I was being overly harsh on him. After all, I did just appear in his house. I was too intimidating for my own good.

"No, it's all right," I assured in what I hoped to be a calm voice. "It's just that before I arrived here, I was wandering in a lonely place when I heard an odd clicking noise. And then…a door appeared so I opened it. Then suddenly, I was here."

"You must be the spirit of the Puzzle, then," Yuugi's grandfather said matter-of-factly. "I'm Solomon Motou," he stated, "Yuugi's grandfather, as you already know. I recently discovered this Puzzle in an archeological dig in Egypt. I'd heard stories—myths, really—from the local townsfolk about such an item with a spirit, but they didn't know for sure. I'd thought that it was all just a bunch of superstition meant to discourage anyone from stealing this item, so when I found a small box containing its pieces, I didn't think twice before giving it to Yuugi."

"And now I solved it and you're here," Yuugi finished.

"But…why?" I asked. "Why am I linked to this Puzzle? And why are there two?"

"Two!" Solomon exclaimed. "You have one also?"

I showed it to him. "Does this mean that one of them is a fake?" I finally asked the question that had been nagging me for a while now. I saw the look of shock and apprehension on Yuugi's face. He was anxious for his grandfather's answer just as much as I was.

"Let me see," Solomon said simply as he reached out a hand to take my Puzzle. I was loathe to take off my one true possession. I stared at it a moment, indecisive, before finally pulling it off slowly. I suddenly felt very empty inside as I handed it to Yuugi's grandfather.

He handled it with care, turning it over and over, examining every detail. He tapped a little on the sides and seemed satisfied with the sound. After a few more moments of peering at it, he gave it back to me. Gratefully, I quickly replaced the Puzzle onto my neck. I instantly felt whole again.

"It looks real to me," he said with a smile.

"Does that mean that mine is a fake?" Yuugi asked, looking at his own Puzzle sadly.

"No."

"How is that possible?" I asked. Yuugi stared at his grandfather inquiringly.

"I believe that since you are the true owner of the puzzle, you naturally have your own that is linked to great power. I believe we have stumbled onto a great conundrum of time issues. You are obviously not from this time period; you are from the past when your puzzle was indeed a great and powerful force. Yuugi, you also own the true puzzle, but in its current state, devoid of all power, but still a link to ancient times. Thus, when you put the pieces together just now, you essentially created a pathway for…I'm sorry, what is your name?"

"I don't know my true name, but I shall go by Yami for now," I told him, eager to hear the rest of his theory.

"You don't know your—never mind. We shall figure it out soon enough. Anyways, as I was saying: When you finished the Puzzle, Yuugi, you created a way for Yami to come into our time. There must be a reason for his coming here, though." He turned to face me. "Do you feel as if you have some sort of unfinished business with anyone?"

I was taken aback. "No…I hardly remember who I was, much less what sort of grudges I held."

"Hmm," Solomon Motou looked thoughtful. "Then perhaps it is simply fate that you're here. Or maybe your puzzle just has a calling for you. I'm beginning to feel that I shouldn't have taken that Puzzle from Egypt. It was meant to rest there forever. And now I've gone and messed things up a bit." Solomon's eyes were suddenly wary. "Do you feel any sort of resentment toward me?"

Yuugi chuckled a bit at his grandfather's paranoid question.

"Not at all," I said easily, lying a bit. I _did _feel slightly annoyed, but I knew that if I told him the truth, he would fear for his safety.

"Oh, that's good." The old man looked largely relieved. I hid a smile.

"You said that my Puzzle is linked to some power, didn't you?" I prodded. "What kind of power is this?"

"It is linked to a great and terrible power, but I do not know the extent of this power or whether it is good or evil. I think only you can know that since you are the true holder."

"Mine doesn't have power anymore?" Yuugi asked.

"It may or it may not, but since you were not the true and original owner of it, it will not work for you," Solomon told his grandson.

"Oh." Yuugi looked down at his puzzle. "That's okay. I'm kind of _glad_ that it doesn't have any. Who knows what I'd do with it." He smiled. "I'm just happy that I get to own such a powerful item."

"But now that I'm here, what do I do?" I asked. "I don't even know who I am!"

"I think it should be our priority to find out your true identity, Yami," Yuugi said gently. His tone towards me was noticeably softer than that towards his grandfather.

I nodded in agreement.

"While you're here, Yami," Solomon said, addressing my question, "It would be best to act normally and pretend that you've just moved here from abroad. I'll get you enrolled in Yuugi's high school and you'll just act as a normal student. If there is any particular reason why you were brought here to this time period, I'm sure we'll know soon enough."

I sighed and nodded again, knowing there was nothing else I could do.

"Yuugi, why don't you take Yami and go on back to your room? I've got a game shop to run here," Solomon reminded lightly.

"All right, grandpa," Yuugi said. "Come on, Yami, I'll get you situated to your new life."

I gave him a slight smile and he returned it, a little unsure still. Then he turned and bounded up the stairs, leaving me to follow behind. I took the stairs one at a time, remembering how just about thirty minutes ago I was walking up many more flights of stairs in a whole different place. Where had I been, anyways?

I entered Yuugi's room and found him frantically trying to clear away some of his clothes. I went over to help.

"It's okay, Yami," Yuugi said just as I was picking up the fifth pair of pants I'd found on the floor. "You must be pretty tired. Why don't you just sit down somewhere and I'll do the cleaning?"

I would've protested, but my head was spinning a little from the overload of information, so I complied. Yuugi rushed over to the only chair in the room and grabbed all the clothes on it. I plopped down in it gratefully.

I surveyed the room around me. It was _extremely _messy. I chuckled a little. I hadn't noticed the clutter when I first got here—probably since I had bigger issues on my mind.

I lifted my Millennium Puzzle up to my eye level. Solomon had said it had power and that I could control it. I wanted to know what sort of power this was. I slowly closed my eyes, shutting out the image of Yuugi scrambling around picking up miscellaneous objects.

I concentrated the Puzzle and opened my mind. Almost instantly, a very familiar-looking door appeared and opened quickly, black mist pouring out of it. Although everything around the door had been strangely hazy, I had instantly recognized it as one in the mysterious place I'd been before I came here. I retracted my mind and opened my eyes. My Puzzle was humming and straining away from my hands and the same mist I'd seen coming out of the door was now surrounding me. I released the Puzzle and was amazed to see it floating on its own. I focused on the power some more and felt it growing stronger. A wind began to whip around me now, making objects swirl around the room and back into their rightful places. The shirts Yuugi had been holding flew out of his arms and into the closet, hanging themselves perfectly.

In a few more seconds, I let the power fade from the Puzzle and the mist disappeared. The wind died down and the Puzzle ceased its humming and finally came back to rest against my torso. I let out the breath I'd been holding unwittingly.

"What…What was _that_?" Yuugi asked, awed. The room was now perfectly in order—even the dust was gone, leaving the smooth, lacquered surface of the wooden desk gleaming.

"I think I just discovered the power your grandfather was talking about," I stammered, breathless.

I relived the process of calling the magic to my aid. The door I'd seen was definitely the same as the ones in the place—that much I knew for certain. I wondered why I hadn't found the magic while I was wandering around, lost. Then something hit me. I'd been trapped in my own Puzzle, hadn't I? When I accessed the magic, I'd been delving into the Millennium Puzzle, searching for a power that I didn't know it possessed. And since I recognized the surroundings, I must've been in the Puzzle before when I was roving. But how was this possible?

"Yami?" Yuugi called. I shook myself.

"What is it?" I nearly snapped at him.

"Did you hear my question?" Yuugi asked timidly.

"No," I shook my head apologetically. "My mind was elsewhere. What did you ask?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go talk to my grandpa about this."

"I…don't think so—not right now. I need some time to think about this myself."

"Oh, all right. Do you want to take a shower? Those usually help me think when I'm confused or scared."

I looked up at him. "Yeah, I think that'd be nice."

Yuugi nodded and ran toward his closet. He tossed a fluffy towel at me along with a baggy t-shirt and black pants.

"I don't know if they'll fit you," Yuugi said. "You can always try my grandpa's clothes if you want." He laughed quietly.

"I think this will work," I answered, smiling back. Yuugi was easy to get along with as long as I overlooked his nervousness around me.

Yuugi showed me the bathroom and left me to the shower. I undressed and stepped into the warm water. As the water soothed my muscles, I turned my thoughts to what had happened to me in such a short time.

First, I'd been wandering around in a place that I didn't know. And as soon as Yuugi solved his Puzzle, I had seen a new doorway appear—the doorway to this world. And then Yuugi's grandfather had told me that I wasn't from this time period and that the Puzzle had served as a bridge to transport me here for an unknown purpose. From what I'd gathered about the Puzzle and where it was found, I was probably from somewhere in Egypt in my previous life, but why was I here now as a teenage boy? I knew that I couldn't be more than seventeen in this body. I thought back to the statues of the animal men in one of the halls of the mysterious place—the place that I now knew had to be the inside of my Puzzle. I must've been only a spirit wandering around in it before. I felt a headache threatening to come from thinking like this.

And just now I had discovered at least part of my own Puzzle's power. I wondered about the extent of what I could do with it.

The hot water of the shower began to run out so I turned it off and stepped onto the tile floor, wrapping the towel around my body. I stared into my reflection in the mirror. My scarlet eyes stared back resignedly. My skin was paler than I'd expected. I was surprised at how well-toned I appeared, then chuckled at my own vanity. I dried myself off some more and then slipped into the clothes that Yuugi had given me. The pants were indeed too short so I rolled them up into makeshift shorts. At least they were loose enough. I suspected that Yuugi had to use a belt with them since he looked skinnier than me. The white shirt fit me, albeit a little tighter than originally intended.

Satisfied, I stepped out of the humid bathroom into the hallway. I went back to Yuugi's room, but before I stepped in, I saw through the slight opening of the door that he was crouched at his desk, writing what looked like a letter. I decided to knock.

When Yuugi heard the soft tapping at his door, he jumped and stuffed the paper into his pocket.

"Come in," he called, sounding a little strained. Hiding a smile, I stepped in. "Did the shower help?" he asked, hiding his face as he busied himself arranging pens. He probably knew I'd seen him.

"It did, in fact," I said. He glanced up at me, then, at the sight of what I was wearing, turned bright red.

"Th-That's good to hear," he stammered.

Clearing my throat, I again had to fight a grin down. "I've realized where I was wandering around before you let me into your world," I paused, giving Yuugi a chance to react, but it seemed as if he was still too embarrassed. I continued when it was clear he was going to stay quiet. "I was in my Puzzle."

This time, he looked up. "How do you know?" he asked, forgetting his shyness for now.

"When I used the power of my Millennium Puzzle, I saw the same kind of door that was everywhere when I was wandering. The power was locked up behind a door."

Yuugi stared at me blankly, but decided not to ask any questions. He sat down on his bed and stared out the window thoughtfully.

"I don't know how you got here exactly, but I…I'm glad that you are, Yami," he said at last.

I blinked. I didn't know how to respond. Thankfully, I didn't need to since Yuugi kept talking.

"Before you came, I got lonely a lot. My friends live pretty far away from here so it's hard for them to come. The only time I see them is at school. And grandpa…he's very nice to me, but I feel like a burden. But now that you're here, I have a friend. Right?" He turned to face me, amethyst eyes questioning and a little scared.

"Yeah," I replied. "I'll be your friend. I promise."

"Thanks, Yami."

I sat down on the bed next to him. He seemed to stiffen slightly, but relaxed as I started talking.

"So will I get to meet your friends soon?"

"Of course! Grandpa will enroll you in my high school and then you'll be able to see them. How old are you, though?"

"I…think I'm either sixteen or seventeen."

"Oh, that's right. You're not sure. Do you mind saying you're sixteen and being in the same grade as me? I'm a sophomore."

"Doesn't really matter to me," I said. "I'll be in whatever grade you want me in."

"All right," Yuugi said, smiling happily. "I'm sure you'll love my friends. There's Joey Wheeler, he's the blond one. He can be pretty silly sometimes, but he's very protective of me. Then there's Tristan Taylor, he's got brown hair. He and Joey go way back. And finally there's Téa Gardner. She's got brown hair and blue eyes. We're a very tight-knit group and we would never let each other down."

"Of course. That's very good to know."

"Well I think we should go get some dinner now. It's almost seven o'clock," Yuugi said as he stood up, stretching.

"You go on ahead," I told him. "I think I'll stay here and get some rest."

"Are you sure? Won't you get hungry?"

"I've gone a few thousand years without eating. I think I'll be fine," I joked, winking. Yuugi blushed again.

"You can sleep on the bed; I'll take the floor," Yuugi offered.

"No, this is your room and you're used to the bed. I prefer harder surfaces for sleeping," I lied.

"But you're the guest!"

"And as the guest, I _demand _the floor." I laughed. "Just go eat your dinner. I'll be fine."

"All right. See you in a bit if you're not asleep already," Yuugi said as he left his room, closing the door softly behind him.

"Oh, wait!" The door opened again. "I forgot to get you a pillow and blankets!"

I rolled my eyes sarcastically and pretended to be exasperated. "How could you forget such important things?" I teased.

Yuugi laughed softly as he rummaged through his closet. He pulled out soft blankets and a large pillow and gave them to me. "If you need anything else, just ask me. I'll be downstairs eating."

I nodded silently as I spread out the blankets and arranged the pillow into a comfortable shape. Then I thought of something.

"Yuugi, I've been meaning to ask: What kind of games does your grandpa sell?"

"Oh! He sells Duel Monster cards and equipment."

"Duel Monsters?" The name triggered something in my memory.

"Yup! I'll show them to you soon if you'd like."

"Yeah, I think I would like that."

"Good night, Yami. I hope you enjoy it here."

"Good night, Yuugi," I said somewhat awkwardly. I wasn't used to such formalities.

The door once again shut, and I could tell that Yuugi lingered a little bit before I heard him shuffle down the stairs. I burrowed into the blankets and closed my eyes sighing contently. Maybe being here wasn't going to be so bad after all.

* * *

**Now review please if you want to make me happy and write more! –puppy dog eyes- you know you want to! Spread the love, people!**

**If some parts sounded kind of awkward, just know that I was listening to music when I wrote this and I can't multitask that well. –grin-**


	4. Chapter Three: Welcome to School

**Yami goes to school! Hooray. -insert disclaimer here-**

* * *

**Chapter Three: Welcome to School**

I woke at about three in the morning when the room was too cold for just one blanket. I curled into a ball, hoping to find some extra warmth that way, but I didn't. I tossed and turned for a while, shivering, before I decided that I wasn't sleepy anymore. Sighing, I sat up stretched, wrapping the blanket around my shoulders and got up gently. The room was dimly lit by the light of the moon entering through the small window. And by the light, I saw Yuugi slumped over his desk, fast asleep.

I walked over, listening to his even breathing as I tried to see what he'd been doing: writing the letter again. Sighing, I gave him my blanket and tried to warm myself by rubbing my hands up and down my arms. I sneaked a glance at the letter. It was written on a scrap sheet of paper and folded many times.

I knew it wasn't any of my business to read it, but curiosity burned within me and I wanted to know who he could be writing to. Maybe he was contacting his parents? I hadn't heard a word about them yet.

Quietly, I picked up the folded-up piece of paper and walked over to the window, taking advantage of every moonbeam that filtered in. I unfolded it slowly, glancing over at Yuugi occasionally to make sure he wasn't waking up. Finally, as I smoothed out the paper a little, I began to read. Yuugi's handwriting was small and slanted, but very neat.

_Hey Joey,_

_You won't believe what happened today. You know the Millennium Puzzle my grandpa got me from Egypt? Well, I solved it! Yeah, I know it took a really long time, but it was totally worth it. Turns out, the spirit of an ancient Egyptian was in it or something, and when I finished the Puzzle, he appeared in my room! I was pretty freaked out, but he doesn't look __too_ _harmful. Actually, he looks just like me except he's much more…attractive. He'll have all the girls swooning over him at school. (Warn Tea, hahaha. I'm kidding.) You'll meet him soon enough. I just wanted to let you read this and be prepared since we can't really talk in class. Well, see you soon!_

_Yuugi._

So…he thought I was attractive? I felt really flattered. I folded up the letter—more like note now that I read it—and placed it carefully back in its spot. It seemed as if Yuugi could really trust his friends since he told them so much about me already, even when I didn't know that much.

Looking at the clock, I saw that it was only 3:45 AM—far too early to start getting ready for school. I decided to take a look around the house. I walked towards the door then stopped as I heard Yuugi mumble slightly and start to move on his chair. Oh dear.

He tried to roll over but since there was no room for that maneuver, his body tipped off towards the ground. I rushed forward and caught him, just before his head would've made contact with the carpet. He was heavier than I'd expected but I managed to pick him up and carry him to the bed.

Placing him down gently among the blankets, I whispered, "Now you can roll to your heart's content," even though I knew he couldn't hear me.

To my surprise, he mumbled, "Thanks."

"Uh…no problem?"

"Mmm, jello muffins."

Biting back a laugh at his sleep talking, I exited the room and walked down the silent hallway. I heard some loud snoring behind one door so I figured that was his grandfather's room.

I passed the bathroom door and walked toward one that I hadn't been in before. Cautiously, I opened it and peered into the room. The windows inside had thick curtains covering them so I turned on the light. I stared into what I knew to be a storage room. Boxes were piled along the walls, but they weren't what held my attention. I gazed in wonder at the cards spread out on the floor and rushed over just to be closer to them. Picking one up in my hand, I gaped at it in wonder.

Duel Monsters…Of course. This was what Solomon Motou's game shop sold. But I recognized the monsters from what I had seen inside my Millennium Puzzle. I picked up the cards one by one, looking at the images printed on them. Many of the monsters' statistics made them seem weak. The rare and powerful cards must be hidden away somewhere else, not just left scattered on the floor.

Suddenly, a shiver went through me and my attention instantly snapped to a discreet safe camouflaged behind the boxes. Something inside was calling me. Putting down the cards back where I found them, I walked quickly to the safe. I reached a hand out and placed it on the side of heavy box.

I felt a powerful and ancient magic flow through me. Something inside the safe was reaching out towards me, and I wanted to find out what it was. I opened my mind to the power of the Millennium Puzzle once more and felt the black aura surround me. I willed it to unlock the safe's mechanism. I watched in fascination as the safe's dial seemed to be spinning on its own accord and smiled in triumph as it clicked open.

I crouched down and pulled the door open. I was surprised to see only one deck of cards sitting in it, looking very lonely. Slowly I reached for it, wondering what had called my attention to this safe.

As soon as my fingers touched the deck, I was suddenly inside my Millennium Puzzle again. I was in the room with the pillars of monsters, but this time, one of them was alive.

"Ah…!" I took a step back from it. It was the monster that had been seemingly locked in a duel with the huge dragon-like creature. It—or he, for it was definitely male—wore long purple robes and carried a green staff. His eyes that gazed down at me were dark blue.

"Dark…Magician." The name came out of my mouth impulsively. The monster nodded its head once then pointed its staff at me.

I felt a slight twinge of fear and almost decided to run, but something made me stay. I looked up at him and saw a smile on his face. Then without warning, he bowed down right before me. I took a step back in shock.

"You…You may rise," I said, more authority in my voice than I had intended. The mage did so and nodded its head again, as if I'd passed a test.

Then abruptly, I was back in the room of boxes, staring at the deck under my fingers. I picked it up gingerly and shuffled through the cards, looking for the one I knew was connected to me. It was in the middle, and seemed to shine for a second as I looked at it.

I knew I shouldn't take it; this card belonged to Yuugi and his grandfather. Taking one last regretful look, I was about to place it and the rest of the deck back into the safe when suddenly the Dark Magician card glowed, surrounded by purple streams of magic. I watched in shock as the magic shot forth quickly and head straight for my Millennium Puzzle. I vainly tried to stop the tendrils of magic with one hand held protectively around my Puzzle, but they passed through my hand harmlessly and entered the Puzzle, not damaging it in any noticeable way.

I felt an odd connection to the Dark Magician pass through me. Unnerved, I quickly set the deck back into safe, closing the door firmly and locking it once again. Noticing that I was breathing a little more heavily than usual, I tried to relax a little. So here I was in a room among the cards and I knew they held some sort of ancient power. And the Magician had bowed down to me, as if he had recognized me as his true master. I wondered what would've happened if I had somehow failed his unspoken test. I stayed in the room until my legs became cramped and I had to get up. I tottered to my feet and headed out the door and down the hallway.

I crept silently back into Yuugi's room, shutting the door softly behind me. It was already 5:09 AM. Somehow time passed more quickly than I thought.

I sat on the window sill and watched the stars and moon. What was my true identity? I didn't want to remain nameless forever.

I gazed at the sky as it began to brighten, changing to lighter shades of blue. The sun peaked out from behind the horizon, sending a brilliant ray across the sky. Slowly it rose, a simple red blob that looked so unthreatening. The sky around it turned pink and orange and the clouds were lit up from behind. So unthreatening, yet with so much power.

Suddenly, the alarm rang shrilly behind me.

"Gah!" I jumped in shock and fell off the sill, backwards.

"Wha?!" Yuugi had jerked awake and swiftly turned off the alarm in one simple motion. He took one look at me sprawled out on the floor and burst out laughing.

"It's not funny!" I said, rubbing the back of my head.

"You should've seen your face!" he said, barely holding back a new wave of laughter.

Seeing him laugh like that, I couldn't help but smile sheepishly at my own foolishness. He looked so carefree, so trusting. He seemed to forget the awkwardness he felt around me yesterday.

Finally, he composed himself enough to say, "Man, you should do that everyday. You're a lot better than some annoying alarm clock."

"Glad you're finding some humor in my expense," I joked sarcastically.

He smiled then said, "It's Monday today—that means we go to school. How long have you been awake?"

"Since around 3:30."

Yuugi's eyes, normally pretty wide already, widened some more as he raised his eyebrows. "And you've been staring out the window the whole time?"

"Uh…yeah," I lied. I didn't feel like telling him about my earlier adventure. "I like the sunrise."

"Me too," Yuugi agreed, looking down at the floor. He seemed to remember who he was talking to now. "But I'm never up early enough to see it." He leapt out of bed and rushed into the bathroom. "Get changed, Yami!" he called.

"My clothes are in—" A pair of pants hit me in the face. "—the bathroom. Thanks…"

I tossed aside my improvised pajamas and tried to switch into the school uniform. Unfortunately, it seemed to consist of a few parts I wasn't familiar with and I was pretty sure I didn't have them on before.

Yuugi popped out of the bathroom just as I was examining a leather belt.

"Yuugi, where did all these leather belts come from?" I asked. "I swear I didn't have this many before. And these shoes? They're practically leather boots!" I raised an eyebrow while holding up the objects in question for him to see.

"I thought you might want to accessorize?" he suggested meekly.

"It's not part of the school uniform?"

"No, not really. I just think the uniform looks boring without these." He smiled, turning slightly pink. How could anyone so innocent like to wear leather? "It's your choice. Bathroom's free, by the way. I'll be downstairs eating."

I entered the bathroom, carrying all the accessories in my arms. Looking at my image in the mirror, I had to agree with Yuugi. The school uniform was indeed boring without a few more items. Sighing, I placed a leather collar around my neck, buckling it securely in front. Next came the two belts that strapped around my hips tightly. Way to look like a dutiful student. Then I tugged the boots on, hiding them under my pants.

After I finished getting ready, I went downstairs to join Yuugi and his grandfather.

Solomon Motou was in the kitchen, but Yuugi was seated at the table, looking over a textbook. He glanced up at me as I sat down at the table, looking at how I was dressed. His eyes lingered a little too long and I, afraid that his grandfather would notice, cleared my throat gently. Yuugi gasped slightly and averted his gaze, cheeks flushed.

His face might as well just stay that color if he was going to blush so much around me, I thought.

"The collar suits you, Yami," he said, suddenly extremely interested in the texture of his plate. "You'd better watch out for the girls at school. Looking like that, they'll be all over you."

"I don't care about them," I said truthfully. "They can stare as much as they want."

"Well I'm sure you'll get a girlfriend in no time."

"I—" I broke off. Somehow the idea of a girlfriend didn't appeal to me at all.

Just then, Solomon entered the room, carrying a plate loaded with what appeared to be rounded pieces of bread.

"All right! Pancakes!" Yuugi exclaimed, happily reaching for a bottle on the table. "Want some syrup, Yami?"

"Uh…"

"Oh, that's right. You've never had pancakes before. Try one—I'm sure you'll like it," Yuugi said happily as he pushed the plate of food towards me.

"Did you sleep all right last night, Yami?" Solomon asked me as his grandson dug into the warm pancakes, eating with gusto.

"Yes, fine, thank you," I replied, cautiously spearing a pancake on my fork and shaking it onto my plate.

"You don't need to be so polite with me," Solomon laughed. "You talk as if you're used to being proper all the time. Oh wait…you probably are." He glanced over at his grandson. "Yuugi! Slow down! Do you want to choke yourself to death?"

"'Orry, G'anpa. 'Ese pancakes are jus' 'oo good!" Yuugi said, mouth full.

"Swallow before you talk," Solomon exclaimed, covering his eyes playfully. "I prefer not to get a sneak peek of your stomach's future contents. Kids these days…" He walked back into the kitchen, probably to make more breakfast.

I decided to copy what Yuugi was doing to his now-mutilated plate of pancakes, but with a bit more grace, of course. Pouring a generous amount of syrup onto the single pancake on my plate, I prodded it with my fork before cutting off a chunk and placing it in my mouth. A sweet, buttery flavor made me open my eyes wide and look down at the ordinary-looking piece of food on my plate. It was delicious! Chewing quickly, I swallowed my first bite and dug in with more enthusiasm, soon polishing off one pancake and reaching for another.

"Oh dear, I probably should've made more," a shocked Solomon said as he came to the table, looking at Yuugi and I devour the pancakes. "Teenage boys and their appetites. You _are _a teenager, aren't you Yami?"

I nodded before turning my full attention back to the food before me.

Solomon shook his head, seeing that he wasn't going to be able to talk to us while we were eating.

Finally, after my fifth pancake, I was starting to feel a little sick. "I think I've had enough," I muttered, pushing the plate away from me.

"Do you want some milk, Yami?" asked Solomon, in the middle of eating his own pancakes, albeit a lot more calmly. Yuugi was still stuffing himself. Amazing how one small kid could eat so much.

"Yes, please," I mumbled as I gratefully accepted a cup of milk.

"Yami, Yuugi will go ahead and go to school as usual today," Solomon told me, now that he had my attention. "You and I will go and speak to the school and get you enrolled. How old are you?"

"I'm…sixteen, I think."

Solomon gave me a calculating look. "You look older."

"I'm sure he'll pass as a sixteen-year-old," Yuugi assured, finally done with his food. "That was one filling breakfast!" he said, satisfied. "I'll go wash your plate for you, Yami." He picked up my plate and fork and skipped into the kitchen.

"Yuugi looks quite young to be almost sixteen," I observed.

"He's still a child at heart," Solomon agreed. "You have to be gentle with that kid."

I nodded.

"Yuugi! Hurry it up! You're going to be late at this rate!" Solomon yelled into the kitchen. I winced, ear throbbing. "Oops, sorry about that," he said cheerily after seeing my grimace.

"How far is the school?" I asked as soon as I recovered a bit.

"Oh, not too far. About a twenty minute walk."

"We have to walk?"

"Yes. Exercise is good for the heart."

"Ah…"

"Holy smokes, I'm gonna be late!" Yuugi cried as he dashed from the kitchen, grabbing his book bag from the floor. "See you at school, Yami! Bye, gramps!"

He dashed out, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Is he always so excited?" I asked.

"Yep! Now you go get ready and we'll be off too!" Solomon said as he cleared the rest of the plates from the table, humming a bouncy tune.

I went out of the kitchen, wondering how everyone in this family could be so cheerful.

I wandered into what must be the game part of the small game-house complex. I looked around at the shelves and among the piles of cards. Nothing caught my attention as much as the Dark Magician had, though.

"Yami!! Time to go!"

"Coming!"

Solomon was waiting at the back door when I went back into the house.

"Will the school let me in without any proper identification?" I asked as I was pushed through the door and outside.

"I'm sure they're reasonable people," Solomon assured as he turned and locked the door. "Now let's go. Remember the way so I won't have to walk you to school everyday."

"I can always walk with Yuugi…"

"Ah, good point."

We set off at what Solomon presumed to be a brisk pace. But since I was about a head taller and younger, I found it to be rather slow.

"How far did you say the school was again?" I asked after we'd been walking for a few minutes. I'd seen plenty of people who looked like students hurrying past us, yelling at their comrades to speed it up.

"It's about two kilometers away," he answered.

"And about how far have we gone?"

"Eh, I'd say we're about a fourth of the way there."

"Mm, I see."

"We're not in a hurry…unless so you're so eager to get an education?"

"Er…no, this pace is fine."

Solomon nodded and continued the easy pace—for me, at least.

Finally, after twenty-five minutes of walking, the school came into view. It was a three-story red brick building with many large windows. Hundreds of students loitered on the front lawn, talking and laughing with each other. I suddenly felt very small.

As Solomon and I stepped onto school grounds, a bell sounded. None of the talking kids moved though.

"Aren't people supposed to be going to class by now?" I asked, confused.

"School doesn't start until 8:40. That bell was the ten minute warning bell. No one goes to class until they're almost late," Solomon explained, then corrected himself. "Well, some people do, like Yuugi and Joey and Tristan and Téa. They're good kids. Follow them and you'll do fine."

He reached up to pat me on the back, hitting a little too hard and sending me stumbling a bit.

"Oops, don't know my own strength!" He bounced jovially ahead.

I raised an eyebrow and quickened my pace also, passing many groups of students but not looking directly at them. I held my head high and shoulders stiff, a nervous reflex of mine.

Just then, as I passed a group of girls wearing skirts too short, I overheard what they were saying.

"Is that _Yuugi_?" one of them whispered, shock evident in her voice.

"No, it can't be. He can't grow that much in one weekend…" another one responded.

"But he looks just like Yuugi!"

"No, his hair's different."

"Only a little, though. But he's _way _too tall to be Yuugi."

A bout of giggling interrupted their hushed speech. "He's so cute!"

"Are his eyes _red_?"

"He must be wearing contacts!"

"He walks like royalty…"

"Maybe he thinks he's too good for us."

"Then we'll just have to change his mind, don't we?"

My face must've gone through five shades of various colors by this point and I hurried away from them, not wanting to hear more. Yuugi had been right about the girls—they were uncontrollable. I scurried after Solomon, not wanting to get lost in a place like this.

"Hurry up, Yami!"

I gratefully complied, walking after Solomon as he opened the front doors of the school and ushered me in. I could still feel a lot of eyes following my progress and I kept my gaze averted from any specific face. I hoped desperately that I wasn't blushing.

"I think the office is this way," Solomon muttered, half to himself and half to me. He started down a random hallway and I followed him, trying to remember how the school looked so I wouldn't get too lost.

"Aha! I was right!"

I glanced up ahead and saw a glass door with a sign labeled "Main Office" next to it. Inside the office was a large desk, and behind it, a middle-aged woman with flaming red hair and horn-rimmed glasses. She looked down at a large stack of papers and began shuffling through them.

"All right, Yami," Solomon said as we stood in front of the door. "You're going to pretend that you're Yuugi's cousin from Egypt. You're here because you thought it would be a good chance to see how other children your age got their educations. Got it?"

"Sounds simple enough," I said. Just as I spoke, the final bell rang, sending a stampede of students rushing down the halls, hurrying toward their classes.

"Ah…the good old 'Get out of my way so I can be in class just barely on time' routine," Solomon said, eyes a little nostalgic as he watched the boisterous teenagers shove each other out of the way. "Now keep your chin up, don't stutter, and try not to stare too much," Solomon told me as soon as he had recovered.

"Err, okay…"

"Now let's go!" Solomon struck a heroic stance and opened the door of the office dramatically. I followed meekly behind.

"Hello there!" he said cheerfully, waving enthusiastically. I slouched a little and raised a hand in greeting, rather embarrassed. The lady behind the desk didn't take her eyes off the papers.

"Uh…" Solomon stuttered a bit then decided to forge ahead. "I would like to enroll a new student here."

"Name?"

"Yami Motou, cousin of Yuugi Motou. He's from Egypt." He said this last part in something of a half-whisper, as if he expected the information to be surprising.

The lady was unimpressed. "Age?"

"Sixteen," I replied.

"Are you in any advanced courses?"

"Um…I'm not too sure," I said, glancing at Solomon. He looked just as confused as I felt.

"We'll have to have you tested then," the lady told us, finally looking up from her papers. "Mmm, I see the resemblance between you and your cousin. Interesting…I never knew cousins could look so alike."

I grinned nervously.

"Well, follow me," the lady said briskly. "Mr. Motou, if you don't mind, I'll take it from here."

"Oh, okay then," Solomon replied. "Well, good luck, Yami. Hope you enjoy your first day."

"Thanks," I said, watching a little regretfully as he left.

"Come along now." The lady's voice brought my attention back to her.

"Ah, right." I turned and followed the office lady down a narrow hallway until we reached a small secluded room. There were a few desks inside, but they looked like they hadn't been used in quite a while.

"Have a seat and I'll go fetch that test for you. My name's Mrs. Neilman, by the way."

"Nice to meet you," I murmured. Mrs. Neilman nodded as she exited the room and I went over to the closest desk and sat down in it. The chair squeaked a little.

After a few moments, Mrs. Neilman returned, holding a small packet of papers.

"Now, this test is only meant to test your abilities. It won't affect your grade in this school in any way. We just want to be sure you're placed in the right classes for your learning level. You're joining us as a sophomore, is that correct?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Mrs. Neilman gazed at me for a moment, as if she were shocked by my politeness. Then, remembering her purpose, she said, "You have an hour to take the test. There are one hundred questions. Answer as many as you can. I'll come back and check on you when time is up."

"May I have a pencil?" I asked.

"Of course," she said, taking one out of her jacket pocket and handing it to me. "Here you go. The sharpener's over there in the corner if you need it."

"Thank you."

"Good luck."

I smiled a little as Mrs. Neilman left the room, closing the door behind her. I checked the clock. 8:55 AM. Taking a deep breath, I looked down at the test I'd been given.

It was divided into four sections—arithmetic, language, science, and history—in that order with twenty-five questions each.

I flipped to the first page, twirling my pencil as I read the math problem.

_The average (arithmetic mean) of _x_ and_ y_ is 7, and the average of _xy_, and _z_ is 10. What is the value of _z

I jotted down a few notes and then confidently wrote down the answer: 16.

The math section was mainly composed of algebra, with a few calculus problems sprinkled in. None of the questions required more than a pencil, paper, and a good thinking brain. I quickly completed it, only stumbling on one question.

_In the xy-coordinate place, the graph of x 2y__2 __+ 3 intersects the line _l_ at (5, s) and (11, d). What is the greatest possible slope of the line _l

I gave up on this one and decided to move ahead to the language section. I raised an eyebrow at the first problem: Compose a haiku about your current emotions.

Furrowing my brow, I counted out all the syllables and proceeded to illustrate just how I was feeling.

_Lost, wandering here,_

_Trapped in a world I don't know,_

_Will someone help me?_

It was simple and maybe a tad overdramatic, but I thought it portrayed my emotions perfectly.

After that came the passage reading which I skimmed through, absorbing the general ideas. The questions were relatively challenging, but I was sure I managed to get most of them right.

I passed onto the science section. Chemistry seemed to be the main focus of the test. Thankfully, a Periodic Table of the Elements was included, so I managed to answer most of the questions correctly. The only ones that stumped me were about electron structure and distribution. I guessed as best as I could I hoped that I was right.

I checked the clock as soon as I finished the science section. 9:12. I still had about forty minutes left. Relaxing a bit, I flipped casually to the history section.

This section was, by far, the most challenging. The questions were confusing and focused on the smallest details, though they were multiple choice. Many of the answers seemed to make sense to me, so I had to resort to blind guessing.

I didn't know the order of China's dynasties, so I knew I missed a lot of those questions.

_The Shang were overthrown by a slave revolt led by the…_

_Hsia_

_Chou_

_Fu His_

_Confucians_

I decided to go with the close-your-eyes-and-randomly-point-your-pencil-at-an-answer tactic.

After I'd stumbled my way through the China questions, I arrived at the Ancient Egypt section. My heart rate increased noticeably. Excited, I scanned the first question quickly.

_Who was the first king of the first dynasty?_

I knew the answer without even looking at the choices. It was Horus Aha, of course. I grinned. This section was going to be easy. There was one question, though, that still stumped me.

_In the Old Kingdom, circa 2700 B.C.E to 2600 B.C. E., an unknown catastrophe wiped out much of Egypt's population and documents. In the few artifacts found from this time period, though, an unidentified pharaoh seems to have played a part in protecting Egypt from the brunt of this disaster. What is believed to have happened to him?_

_He was killed in the effort and his task remained incomplete_

_He was exulted until a jealous relative killed him in the tenth year of his rule._

_He managed to reestablish Egypt and transform it into a powerful force._

_None of the above_

I didn't know the answer to this one, and I was extremely confused. For all the other questions, the answers just seemed to pop into my head without my thinking about them. But for this one…I forced myself to think carefully. A nameless pharaoh…

Finally, I gave up, and once again closed my eyes and stabbed down with my pencil. It landed on A. Shrugging, I circled the answer, hoping that it was right.

Looking up at the clock, I realized I only had ten minutes left. Hurriedly, I rushed through the rest of the history problems and then went back to check my work. Soon, Mrs. Neilman knocked on the door and opened it.

"Time's up, Yami," she told me. "Turn in what you have and I'll grade it."

I got up, stretched a little, and handed the test and pencil to her.

"All right, now follow me," she said as she turned and went out the room again. We turned down a larger hallway. "Here is your guide around the school. His name's Joey Wheeler. He volunteered to come and show you around the school while I have you test graded and arrange your classes."

"Hey dere, Yami!" Joey greeted cheerfully in a very distinguishable Brooklyn accent. His corn-yellow hair was rather long and wild, arching over his head and then hanging down into his face. His eyes were a warm chocolate color. I smiled back. At least I knew I could trust him since he was Yugi's friend.

"All right, Joey," Mrs. Neilman said. "Make sure you bring Yami back in about forty-five minutes. I'll have everything set up by then."

"Will do, ma'am!" Joey said, saluting smartly. "C'mon, Yami! We've got a lot ta see, an' little time!"

He grabbed a handful of my sleeve, pulling me along after him. He was stronger than I'd expected since he wasn't that much taller than me.

He kept tugging at me even long after we'd left the office hallways.

"Um, Joey?" I said tentatively. "You can let go now…"

"Oh! Sorry 'bout dat, Yami. I tend ta get a little carried away sometimes. Now what would ya like ta see first?"

"You can show me where important classes are located. Or you could tell me where the cafeteria is…oh and the media center! And you can warn me about certain teachers."

"All right, den! I'll jus' point out da main attractions of this wonderful school." He winked. "Den I can show ya my classes. Chances are, ya might be in some o' dem. Let's go!"

This time, he let me follow him without being dragged along.

"We're on da first floor o' da school right now. Over dere on your left is da cafeteria. But we can eat on da front lawn too…unless ya have allergies?"

"Not that I know of," I replied, glancing at his face to see his questioning look. He had automatically included me in his group of friends; I felt oddly special.

"Wow, ya really _do _look like Yuugi! 'Cept you're a lot taller," Joey observed as he looked at me. He had probably read Yuugi's note to him already.

"Yes…I know." I would probably have to have this conversation with a lot more people.

"It'll be pretty hard for da teachers ta tell you two apart."

I simply nodded in response. "Shall we continue with the tour?" I reminded.

"Oh yeah! Next we'll go upstairs and see da classrooms. We'll hafta be quiet from on though, 'cause some of da teachers get pretty ticked off if we disrupt da class."

"Okay."

We walked up the stairs and quietly down the halls. Every time we passed a classroom, Joey would briefly tell me a few interesting facts about the teacher. Soon, he'd given me a complete mental list of all the teachers that should be avoided.

"Maybe you should write it down for me," I joked quietly.

"Yeah…Yeah, I should. Good idea, Yami!" Joey grinned as he slapped me playfully on the back. I chuckled nervously. Sarcasm was probably not a good idea around him.

"An' _dis_ is da class I jus' escaped from: math," he said as we stopped in front of a door. "Da teacher's Mr. Takahashi. He can be pretty strict with us sometimes, but he's a nice guy. Yuugi's in dere right now!"

I peered through the small window set in the wooden door and caught a glimpse of his hair. He sat by the window and looked extremely bored.

"Let's go before da teacher sees us," Joey said, tapping me on the arm.

He continued to show me around the school, pointing out special classes and teachers. I decided to stay away from a certain teacher who enjoyed pelting straggling students with erasers.

"We should probably head back to the office now, Joey," I said as I caught a glimpse of the time from a clock in a classroom. "Mrs. Neilman will be waiting."

"All right den. I think you've seen jus' about everythin'."

We walked down the stairs and Joey guided me back to the office. Mrs. Neilman was sitting at her desk again, but she looked up as soon as I entered the office.

"Ah, Yami," she said as she picked up two sheets of paper. "How did you enjoy your tour of the school?"

"It was very helpful," I said. Joey beamed.

"That's good to hear. Here are your test results on this sheet. You did amazingly well. Egyptian schooling must've prepared you well. What school did you come from?"

"Uh…The Pharaoh's English Academy for Gifted Students," I made up wildly.

"Hmm, I've never heard of it, but it must have an excellent reputation."

I sighed in relief that she hadn't caught my obvious lie.

"On this sheet is your schedule. Mr. Wheeler can help you find your classes if you get lost."

"Thanks."

"I've placed you in just about every advanced class we offer to sophomores. I hope you find the courses challenging yet interesting."

"All right."

"C'mon Yami. We gotta get you ta class," Joey said, pulling on me again.

"Mr. Wheeler," Mrs. Neilman said. Joey gulped.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Don't think I haven't forgotten that essay you owe me. I believe the topic was 'Ten reasons why I should not throw rocks at another student?' You owe me five pages of explanation, single spaced, and no cheating on the font size."

"Uh, I'll get it ta ya soon! I promise!" Joey chuckled nervously. "I gotta get back to Mr. Takahashi's class! Bye now!" He pushed me out of the office.

"Aw man!" he groaned as soon as we were out of sight of the office. "She remembered."

"Joey…why were you throwing rocks at people?"

"Dey were bullying Yuugi! I had ta stand up for my friend!"

"Then why can't you just tell Mrs. Neilman that?"

"Uh…because well…ya see…I didn't actually confront da bullies when dey were well, bein' bullies. I waited until dey had separated…and den I snuck up behind dem and well, yeah. Ya know, I pelted dem with rocks."

"Oh Joey," I muttered. "You can't do _that_. Now they'll probably just pick on Yuugi even more." My stomach knotted in anger when I said these words. "You've got to stand up to them face to face. And show them why you're boss."

"But…dey were _big_!"

I shot him a glance. "But you're willing to do anything to protect your friend, right?"

"Yeah, but it wouldn't help either of us if I got killed!"

"Who are these bullies anyways? And when did this all happen?"

"Well, it was about two weeks ago…An' dese guys are da toughest group in dis school so ya gotta be careful when you're around dem. Dey're hard ta miss, so you'll probably see dem soon."

"Hmm, for now, just keep a close eye on Yuugi. That boy's innocence is a complete magnet for bad things of all sorts."

"You got dat right!" Joey agreed enthusiastically. "Hey, let's look at your schedule!"

"Okay," I said, looking down at the sheet of paper. "Let's see, first period is Mr. Takahashi teacher Pre-Calculus."

"All right! You're with me and Yuugi!"

"Next I've got World History with Mr. Uyesugi."

"Nope, my next class is Language with Ms. Hayashi," Joey said.

"Oh, I just barely missed you! I have her third."

"Oh, dat means you're with Téa and Tristan."

"That's cool. For fourth, I have Chemistry with Mr. Ito."

"Yuugi's in dat one."

"Fifth I have Biology with Mrs. Watanabe."

"You're takin' _two _science courses in your sophomore year?!" Joey asked, wide-eyed. "Wow, you must be pretty smart den! Dunno anyone in your class though."

"I think I have to take both because I wasn't here last year," I told him. "And finally I have French? I didn't know I was going to have that course!"

"Well, it's required dat we participate in at least one foreign language course. I guess French was da only one left for ya."

"My teacher is Monsieur LeMarchal."

"Oh, I've heard of him. He's new at dis school and dis is only his second year teachin'—he's pretty young. A lot of da girls feel like taking da course just because he's da teacher. Oh and you're with Yuge again."

"Yuge?"

"It's my nickname for Yuugi."

"Ah."

"Let's get ta class! Mr. Takahashi's gonna kill me!"

Just then, the bell rang. Door slammed open and students poured out, talking loudly with each other.

"Oh, great!" Joey said above the noise. "I was supposed ta be back in time for class!"

"I'm sorry, Joey," I said. "It's technically my fault, since I was lost and all in this new school." I winked.

"Oh yeah… I have an excuse. All right!"

I smiled and shook my head. "Well, I guess I'll try and go find my History class now. See you!"

"Yeah, see ya, Yami. It was nice meetin' ya."

I walked off to search for my classroom, wondering what the day had in store for me.

* * *

…**FAIL. That chapter took too long to write. Actually, It's not even over yet! It was just getting too long. And if I didn't stop it here, it would go on to be twice the size. So there you go. A lame cliffhanger. I **_**may **_**combine the next part to it…I'll see. **

**Circa means approximately, so it's an estimate of the years. Bwahahaha, I make you learn history! Yes…the Old Kingdom of Egypt was from 2700 B.C.E (before Common Era) and 2200 B.C.E. Yay for historical accuracy!**

**Heehee. Yami's not short in this FF! Oh no he's not! -grin- I never found the concept of a short pharaoh intimidating… Pharaoh: "I COMMAND YOU!" Servant: "-looks down- Uh, no." **

**LOL :D I couldn't resist. Takahashi creator of Yu-Gi-Oh. **

**And all the questions I put in here (with the exceptions of the last, very-much made-up one, of course) were from either my SAT practice book (bleh!) or my APWH exam review book (I ended up doodling Yu-Gi-Oh stuff in there. xD)**

**And how in the world does Yami know all of this stuff?! You'll see soon enough. :D**

**…D: Joey's accent killed me.**

**Review, please!**


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